Endless belt for treadmill

ABSTRACT

A belt device includes one or more intermediate layers each having one or more conductive wires for reducing or for eliminating static electricity. The intermediate layers each includes a number of longitudinal fibers arranged parallel to the conductive wire, and/or includes a number of lateral fibers arranged parallel to the conductive wire. An outer peripheral layer may be attached onto the intermediate layer, or having the intermediate layer engaged into the outer peripheral layer, or an inner peripheral layer may be attached onto the intermediate layer, for allowing the intermediate layer to be disposed between the outer and the inner peripheral layers.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to an endless belt device for an exercisetreadmill, and more particularly to an endless belt device for anexercise treadmill having a structure for reducing or eliminating staticelectricity.

2. Description of the Prior Art

Typical exercise treadmill comprise an endless belt device disposed onrollers to present a walking surface in an inclined plane for supportinga user thereon and for allowing the user to conduct walking or joggingexercises or the like.

For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,280,362 to Dalebout et al. discloses one ofthe typical exercise treadmills of the type used in gymnasiums, healthclubs, and sanitaria to provide a controlled form of exercise within aconfined indoor space, and the typical exercise treadmill also comprisesan endless belt device disposed on a relatively large number of rollersthat are disposed transversely in a supporting frame, for forming awalking surface in an inclined plane and for supporting a user thereonand for allowing the user to conduct various exercises.

Some of the electrical facilities may further be attached to theexercise treadmills for sensing or detecting or measuring the rotationalor moving speed of the endless belt, and/or various information of theexercisers, such as the breath, the heart beat, or other health or bodycondition of the exercisers.

For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,062,632 to Dalebout et al. discloses one ofthe typical exercise treadmills having a microprocessor to generatesignals and in order to control the exerciser.

However, the endless belt of the typical exercise treadmills arenormally made of polymer materials, such as polyester, and may generatestatic electricity when the endless belt is moved or rotated around therollers, and the static electricity may affect the sensing or detectingor measuring the rotational or moving speed of the endless belt or ofthe information of the exercisers.

The present invention has arisen to mitigate and/or obviate theafore-described disadvantages of the conventional belt devices forexercise treadmills.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The primary objective of the present invention is to provide an endlessbelt device for attaching to an exercise treadmill and including astructure for reducing or eliminating static electricity and forallowing various information to be effectively sensed or detected ormeasured by the electrical facilities.

In accordance with one aspect of the invention, there is provided a beltdevice comprising at least one intermediate layer including at least oneconductive wire engaged therein for reducing or for eliminating staticelectricity and for allowing various information to be effectivelysensed or detected or measured by the electrical facilities.

The intermediate layer includes a number of longitudinal fibers arrangedparallel to the conductive wire, and/or includes a number of lateralfibers arranged parallel to the conductive wire and alternativelyinterwoven with the longitudinal fibers for forming a woven or non-wovencloth type or structure.

An outer peripheral layer may further be provided and attached onto theintermediate layer, or having the intermediate layer engaged into theouter peripheral layer. An inner peripheral layer may further beprovided and attached onto the intermediate layer.

Further objectives and advantages of the present invention will becomeapparent from a careful reading of the detailed description providedhereinbelow, with appropriate reference to the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a partial plan and exploded view of an endless belt device inaccordance with the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged partial cross sectional view of the endless beltdevice;

FIG. 3 is a partial plan schematic view illustrating an intermediatelayer of the endless belt;

FIG. 4 is a partial side or end plan schematic view of the intermediatelayer of the endless belt device,

FIG. 5 is an enlarged partial cross sectional view of the intermediatelayer of the endless belt device;

FIG. 6 is an enlarged partial cross sectional view similar to FIG. 5,illustrating the other arrangement of the intermediate layer of theendless belt device;

FIG. 7 is an enlarged partial cross sectional view similar to FIGS. 5and 6, illustrating the further arrangement of the intermediate layer ofthe endless belt device; and

FIG. 8 is a partial cross sectional and exploded view illustrating theother arrangement of the endless belt device.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring to the drawings, and initially to FIGS. 1-3, an endless beltdevice 10 in accordance with the present invention is provided orarranged for attaching to an exercise treadmill (not shown) of the typeused in gymnasiums, health clubs, and sanitaria to provide a controlledform of exercise within a confined indoor space, and the endless beltdevice is disposed on a relatively large number of rollers that aredisposed transversely in a supporting frame of the exercise treadmill,for forming a walking surface in an inclined plane and for supporting auser thereon and for allowing the user to conduct various exercises.

The endless belt device 10 comprises an upper or outer peripheral layer20 (FIGS. 1-2), and a lower or inner peripheral layer 30, and/or one ormore insert or intermediate layers 40 (FIGS. 1-4) disposed or engagedbetween the outer and the inner peripheral layers 20, 30. The outer andthe inner peripheral layers 20, 30 are preferably made of plastic orpolymer or synthetic fibers, such as polyvinyl chloride, or the like.

The intermediate layers 40 each includes a number of longitudinalthreads or fibers 41 and a number of lateral threads or fibers 42alternatively interwoven together to form the intermediate layer 40 of awoven or non-woven cloth type or structure. The longitudinal threads orfibers 41 and the lateral threads or fibers 42 of the intermediatelayers 40 may be made of various natural fiber materials, such asnatural plant fibers, or plastic or polymer or synthetic fibers, such aspolyester, etc.

The intermediate layers 40 each further includes one or more conductivemetallic cables or wires 43 (FIGS. 5-7) interwoven in either or both ofthe longitudinal threads or fibers 41 and the lateral threads or fibers42. For example, the intermediate layers 40 may each include one or moreconductive metallic cables or wires 43 interwoven in and/or parallel tothe longitudinal threads or fibers 41 and/or in the lateral threads orfibers 42 (FIG. 3). The interwoven conductive metallic cables or wires43 of the intermediate layers 40 may be electrically contacted with eachother and may be used or provided for reducing or eliminating staticelectricity and for allowing various information to be effectivelysensed or detected or measured by the electrical facilities.

In operation, the endless belt device 10 may be rotated or moved in arelatively large moving speed relative to the supporting rollers, and afriction or rubbing or abrasion may be generated between the endlessbelt device and the supporting rollers, and thus a static electricitymay be generated by the friction or rubbing or abrasion between theendless belt device and the supporting rollers. The interwovenconductive metallic cables or wires 43 of the intermediate layers 40 maybe used to suitably reduce or eliminate the static electricity.

As shown in FIG. 8, alternatively, the intermediate layers 40 may beengaged in either the outer or the inner peripheral layer 20, 30, or maybe solidly engaged and embedded in either the outer or the innerperipheral layer 20, 30 to form an integral or one piece structure.

Accordingly, the endless belt device for the exercise treadmill inaccordance with the present invention includes a structure for reducingor eliminating static electricity and for allowing various informationto be effectively sensed or detected or measured by the electricalfacilities.

Although this invention has been described with a certain degree ofparticularity, it is to be understood that the present disclosure hasbeen made by way of example only and that numerous changes in thedetailed construction and the combination and arrangement of parts maybe resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope of theinvention as hereinafter claimed.

1. A belt device comprising: at least one intermediate layer includingat least one conductive wire engaged therein for eliminating staticelectricity.
 2. The belt device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said atleast one intermediate layer includes a plurality of longitudinal fibersarranged parallel to said at least one conductive wire.
 3. The beltdevice as claimed in claim 1, wherein said at least one intermediatelayer includes a plurality of lateral fibers arranged parallel to saidat least one conductive wire.
 4. The belt device as claimed in claim 1further comprising an outer peripheral layer attached onto said at leastone intermediate layer.
 5. The belt device as claimed in claim 4,wherein said at least one intermediate layer is engaged in said outerperipheral layer.
 6. The belt device as claimed in claim 1 furthercomprising an inner peripheral layer attached onto said at least oneintermediate layer.